John i



J. F. OCONNOR.

Fm-cTloN SHOCK ABsoRBING MECHANISM.

Patented Dec. 21,1920.

APPLICATIQN FILED MAR. 25, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.`

JOHN E. OCONNOR. 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 WILLIAM H. MINER, OF CRAZY, NEW' YORK.

FRICTION SHOCK-ABSORBING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

Application led March 25, 1920. Serial No. 368,670.

To allee/710m 1t/may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. OCoNNon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful improvement in Friction Shock-Absorbing Mechanisms, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying' drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in friction shock absorbing mechanisms.

One object of the invention is to provide a friction shock `absorbing mechanism, more particularly adapted for railway draft riggings wherein is obtained high capacity, certain release, and provision made for automatically taking up of wear onthe friction parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a friction shock absorbing mechanism wherein is employed a friction plunger and wedge gripping means associated therewith, the latter utilizing anti-friction rollers to brake or release the grip instantaneously upon removal of the actuating force to thereby insure certain and full release.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism ofthe character above in* dicated wherein is employed a substantially constant or uniform friction grip or retardation of the plunger independently of a yielding `spring resistance which is employed-in the mechanism, the capacity of the spring resistance being added to and not multiplied by the gripping mechanism, the spring resistance also having additional functions in effecting release and automatically taking up wear on the parts. j

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view of a portion of a railway draft rigging showing my improvements employed in connection therewith, the position of the parts being that correspond ing to normal or full release. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1. And Figs. 3 and 4l are detail perspectives of a pair of coperating wedges utilized in the gripping means.

In said drawing, 10-10 denote channel shaped center or draft sills of a railway car to the inner faces of which are secured front stop lugs 11 and rear stop lugs 12 of well known form. A portion of a drawbar shank is indicated at 13, the same being operatively associated with the shock absorbing mechanism, proper, by a yoke 14 of usual form and all the parts being supported bya detachable saddle `plate 15. A front follower 16 is also associated with the mechay nism as clearly indicated in Fig. 1.

The shock absorbing mechanism, proper, as shown, comprises, broadly, the following parts: a main casting A which combines a shell or barrel with a spring casing; a central friction plunger B; twin spring resistances C-C; a spring follower D; and duplicate sets of gripping means, each set including an inner wedge E, an outer wedge F, and an anti-friction roller G.

Said casting A is of hollow box-like form rectangular in cross section and at its forward end is provided with what may be termed a shell or barrel 17 having parallel longitudinally extending inner side surfaces 155-18. Formed integrally with the shell or barrel 17 is the spring casing or cage proper indicated at 19, thelatter having top and bottom walls, rear connecting wall 20, and being open at its sidesso as to permit of insertion, laterally, of the Asprings C. Each spring C preferably consists of an outer heavy coil 21 and an inner nested lighter coil 22. 1

The friction plunger B, when used in the arrangement shown, is of rectangular cross section as shown most clearly in Fig. 2, thereby providing two fdiametrically opposed friction surfaces 23-23- The plunger B extends outwardly beyond the end of the casting A a distance corresponding to the permissible compressive stroke of the mechanism. As clearly indicated in Fig. 1, the plunger B is engaged at its outer end by the follower 16 and at its inner end by the spring follower D.

rIhe wedge gripping means are arranged in diametrically disposed sets of which there will be two in the type of mechanism shown in Fig. 1. The inner wedge E of each set has an inner longitudinally extending flat friction face 24 adapted to coperate with the adjacent friction face 23 of the plunger 0n its outer side, each wedge E is in clined in a direction toward the plunger B or axis of the mechanism as indicated at 25.Y Each wedge F is provided with an outer 110 flat face 26 adapted to bear against the corresponding inner face or surface 18 of the barrel 17. On its inner side, each wedge is beveled or inclined s0 as to oppose the corresponding inclined face 25 of the wedge E, as indicated at 27. The inclined faces 25 and 27 of the wedges E and F are provided with roll seats 28 and 29 respectively, for the corresponding anti-friction roller G.

As clearly shown in Fig. l, the barrel 17 is formed at its outer end on each side with an inwardly extending flange 30 and, near its inner end, with a narrower inwardly eX- tending flange 31. The wedges E are notched as indicated at 32 to form seats for the flanges 30 each overlapping said wedges E, and the other wedges F are correspondingly notched at their inner ends as indicated at 33 to clear the flanges 31.

From an inspection of Fig. 1, it will be noted that the lengthv of that portion of each wedge F between the corresponding pair of flanges 30 and 31 is less than the distance between said flanges 30 and 31, thereby providing for a limited amount of movement of the wedges F relative to the lshellor barrel 17. In actual practice, the parts will first be assembled so that the outer ends of the wedges F are spaced from the flanges 30 and thereby permit ofthe wedges F being forced outwardly slightly to compensate for any wear on the parts, it being understood that the wedges E will always return to the normal position shown in Fig. 1 and be limited in their outward movement by the flanges 30.

The operation is as follows: Assuming an inward or bufiing movement of the drawbar 13, it is evident that the follower 16 will be forced rearwardly or to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1. During this operation the casting A will be held stationary bythe rear stops 12 and the plunger B will therefore be moved longitudinally relatively to the casting A. As the plunger B is thus moved, the friction between the plunger and wedges E will cause the latter to move slightly inwardly and thereby increase the frictional resistance to the movement of the plunger B. this action being rendered extremely sensitive by the anti-friction .rollers G. The

wedges vF, during this operation,` will rejmain substantially stationary and in any event would be limited in their inward movement by the flanges 31. Immediately after the plunger B starts moving, it is evident that the spring follower D will be moved from engagement with the wedges F and consequently the springs C will afford a direct yielding resistance to the plunger B and will have no effect on the friction gripping means. Stated in another manner, the frictional grip or resistance will remain substantially constant throughoutthe com.-I

pressive stroke and to this frictional resistance to the movement of the plunger B will be added, but not multiplied, the-spring resistance. Upon removal of the actuating force or pressure, it is evident that the springs C will act directly on the plunger B to force the latter outwardly and because of the anti-friction rollers Grl between the wedges E and F, the friction grip will be released or collapsed substantially instantaneously and thereby permit the plunger B to be returned fully to normal position. 'Ihe operation under draft is .the same with the exception that the plunger B is held stationary and the casting A with all the other parts associated therewith are pulled forwardly in a well known manner.

I claim:

1. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a 'central friction member; of an outer member, said members being relatively longitudinally movable; friction wedge gripping means interposed between said members and including sets of elements, each set having opposed faces inclined toward said central member and an anti-friction roller therebetween; and spring means for yieldingly resisting relative longitudinal movement between said two members, said spring means operating during the compressive action independently ofthe gripping means.

2. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a central friction member; of an outer member, said'mernbers being relatively longitudinally movable friction wedge gripping means interposed between said members` said gripping means including diametrically opposed sets of wedges having cooperating inclined vwedge faces, the wedges of each set beingl both adapted for a limited amount ofmov'ement longitudinally with respect tothe outer member; and spring means arranged to resist relative movement betweensaid inner and outer members.

3. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a central friction member; of an outer barrel; diametrically opposedsets of wedge gripping elements, each set including two wedges having opposed faces inclined toward said central memberrmeans limiting longitudinal movement of each set of said elements in both directions relatively to said barrel; and spring means for resisting relative movement between said barrel and central member independently of the gripping elements.

4. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with acentral friction member; of an outer barrel; diametrically opposed sets of wedge gripping elements, each set including two wedges having opposed faces inclined tow'a'rd. said central member; means limiting longitudinal movement of each set of said element-s in both directions relatively to said barrel; spring means for resisting relative movement between said barrel and central member independently of the gripping elements; and anti-friction rollers between the opposed inclined faces of the wedges of each set.

5. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a casting having a barrel at one end and a spring casing at its other end; of a friction plunger; diametrically disposed sets of wedge gripping means interposed between the barrel and plunger, each set comprising a pair of wedges and an anti-friction roller between the wedge faces thereof, all the wedges being relatively movable to the barrel; springs within said spring cage; and a follower interposed between said springs and said plunger, said follower being adapted to engage one wedge of each set at the end of the release movement of the parts.

6. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, 'the combination with a barrel having inner and outer longitudinally spaced, inwardly extending flanges; of a central plunger; outer wedges in engagement with said shell and disposed on opposite sides of the plunger, said wedges being independent of the shell and adapted to be limited in their movement longitudinally of the shell by said inner flanges; inner wedges disposed on opposite sides of and in engagement with said plunger', said inner wedges being adapted to resisting movement of the plunger relatively p to the shell.

7. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a barrel having inner and outer longitudinally spaced, inwardly extending flanges; of a central plunger; outer wedges in engagement with said shell and disposed on opposite sides of the plunger, said wedges being independent of the shell and adapted to be limited in their movement longitudinally of the shell by said inner flanges; innerA wedges disposed on opposite sides of and in engagement with saidl plunger, said inner wedges being adapted to be limited in their longitudinal movement relative to the shell in one direction by said outer flanges, the outer wedges being opposed to said inner wedges and coperable therewith; spring means for directly resisting movement of the plunger relatively to the shell; and anti-frictlon rollers interposed between the sets of inner and outer wedges.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 27th day of Feb., 1920.

Witness CARRIE GAILING. 

